UPDATE: This is a 90 minute sketch so prone to indelible errors. But who knew Canson Watercolor board erased so well. I erased a lot of the heavy 6b lead lines off her and lifted some of the lights with the white bristle brush at the bottom

of the painting. Seriously I think I could have erased the paint!! Try it you might like Canson waterboard.

Before I lifted a few whites but after I erased some of the lead lines.

Or sometimes you need a good crop which is easy to do with watercolor on paper. Andrea kept nodding off today allowing her head to move lower and lower. Never a good thing when you are painting a love model. You set the pose and then spend the next two hours chasing it.

I also made her body WAY TOO long in the first drawing of it. It’s still too long but closer to the pose.

The sketch drawn with a watercolor pencil and then 6b lead. Should have stuck with the watercolor pencil which melted away till you couldnt see it. HOWEVER the lead showed the whole time.

At the end of the first forty minute session. The arm is still too wide aka thick. I do like the way the painting was going. I used a Canson waterboard 11×15 and my big Cheap Joes mop for most of the painting.

After second forty minutes. 80 minutes total painting. No idea how I smeared the purple paint across her chest. I do like the fabric in this painting.

I could not decide where to put her eye or the end of her nose because it kept moving. Eeekkk!!

Ton Needham’s Lovely soft unfinished nude. He was directly to my left.

Al Beyer’s huge oil. Four feet by 3′ or so.

Ilania’s small oil

Fred’s wild woman.

And the rest. Well we won’t publish them. It was a tough pose to paint. And the sleeping didn’t help.

My easel for plein air with a gorilla easel on top of of photography tripod – a cheaper tripod is very light weight. A good thing I hope. Or I will have to break out the heavy tripod.

Uses my Charles Reid hand helps palette to paint Andrea today.

Margaret xoxox who needs a nap and has a headache.

The case of the snoozing model Andrea or sometimes u need a good crop. Easy to do with watercolor. #uscaiken #lifemodel #nude #lead #pencil #sketching #watercolor #allaprima #aquarelle #canson #board #danielsmith #holbein #mgraham #albeyer #aiken#augusta

Working outside makes me hungry I don’t know about you. This was my late lunch Saturday from Petite Rendezvous Creperie food truck. I was hesitant to eat a crepe but I was starving. Last time I ate one in the Marais in Paris just down the street from the Pompidou museum I didn’t like it much.

I can say Petite Rendezvous knows how to make a loaded crepe. Delicate crispy edged deliciousness.

Sunday I was up for a revisit only to sadly see them pull away as I was busy with the quick paint at the Plein Air event. I had been really looking forward to it. Only truck left was something called Spice the Americas which featured north and South American food. Hmmmm.

I am not fond of hot food. Burns my lips and my mouth out. When you have had nothing to eat all day and there’s no place else to eat til late afternoon you will try spicy.

This jerked pulled pork sandwich was good once I removed a few of the hot peppers.

Stillman and Birn Beta Lamy my palette from Kim Johnson’s class and a few watercolor pencils.

Off to Als retirement extravaganza. Talk to you later. Margaret whose trying to act like I feel fine. Cough cough. Xoxoxo

Food trucks. Yummm #oilpainting #painting #urbansketching #watercolor #charlesreid #stillmanandbirn #druidhills

#Olmstedinvitationalpleinair #sketchbookskool #foodtrucks #spicetheamericas #food #atlanta #watercolor #ink #petiterendezvoucreperie

Tomorrow is our Art Profs last day. He retiring. I made this cartoon last year about all his smart quips that he dishes out. We all still giggle over this cartoon but I thought he would fuss over the shape of his head. It looks like him but not exactly.

I almost put it on the back of his retirement T-shirt I just picked up. This is on the back of his shirt. Now why didn’t I think to put a check or a box by each one to check off.

This is the front. We are hoping he will laugh at it. He’s also getting a cake with the same quips on the top of it.

Should be fun. Bytw this is just a partial list. It goes on and on. The shirt is not made that’s big enough for all of them.

Xoxoxox Margaret who has to bake even though I still don’t feel well.

All kinds of easels. So many to choose from. Light weight is a big concern with them. . When you paint outside an easel is a big problem. The inexpensive portable ones seem ro collapse or blow over in the wind. I spent a lot of time. Looking at easels while I was at the plein air event. They came in all shapes and sizes.

This is Yer Za Vues well used Soltech set up. It can be set up in ONE a minute. I kid you not. Hoping Santa brings me one for Christmas. Their webpage says they set up in 20 seconds and I can believe it. The legs flip out and the box flips open. So easy to use.

Here’s Michele Byne using hers. They are very light weight. She said the only problem with them is in sand. It will ruin it. Gums up the legs so she uses pot handle holders to sheath her legs when she paints at the beach. I do think the silicon version would be better because they wouldn’t get wet but hey I am sure the fabric ones are cheaper.

Here’s a link to it on amazon. Only $499.

This is Joe Gyurcsak s Strada easel. It’s only a mere $299. Again very light weight but you have to attach it to a camera tripod which makes it heavier than the Strada. and here it is in the sketch. His guy wins LOTS of prizes and is an acrylic painter. Go Joe!! Also the Utrecht/Blick rep.

Suzie Bakers well traveled pochade box which weighs in at about five pounds without the easel.

Here she is with her travel sticker covered box. I also think I need that hat.

The tripod is a lot artists preferred base because they are inexpensive and hard to knock over in a wind and make a steady set up on uneven ground.

The umbrella was a popular accoutrement. And NO they didn’t sit under the umbrella the painting was under it. I am sure so they could see the true colors of the painting.

Charles Reid has been doing plein air painting for years. This is one of his two Craig Young palettes. Both cost big bucks. Hand made of brass with your name engraved on it.

He also uses a tripod base for his easel with a piece of thick foam core on top. One of his books has instructions on how to make this but YouTube does too I am sure.

Another shot of him with his easel and his other Craig Young paint box. The hand held boxes are great for plein air. He clips a pot of water to the bottom of his board with a binders clip and a can for his brushes when he doesn’t have a handy paint box.

love the brushes stuck in the grass.

Jill Steenhuis s Set Up.

A small pochade box on a tripod.

Another Soledad.

Another pochade box on an easel.

A cool rolling cart to carry your gear.

John Guernseys set up. And his upright panel holder On a tripod. Hmm I need that tray.

I was surprised that so many of them used panels til I realized that they are so easy to Pop into a frame at the event. No fuss no muss and it’s ready to hang with a jmf frame.

Yer Za Vues Soledad Up close with a Masterson sealable paint box on top. I saw her set this one up in seconds.

One more Soledad Michelle Byne.

So what did I decide on?! I have a couple of camera tripods. Going to try one of them with a set up similar to

Charles.

To make one of these I have amazon sending me a guerilla painters tripod mount. Wish I had thought of looking on amazon for one of these sooner. I would have a Charles Reid easel already.

I also ordered one of these :A Guerilla painter flex easel. If I hate it I will send it back.

I also ordered one of these rolling chairs. Highly recommended by Brenda Swanson. The masters chair I used was terrible. Too low and the bar of the sling cut my legs after a while.

Margaret off To design a T-shirt I hope!! Xoxoxo

#Olmstedlinearpark #atlanta #pleinair #oilpainting #painting #artists #paint #urbansketching #ink #watercolor #stillmanandbirn #lamy #druidhills

#Olmstedinvitationalpleinair #quickpaint #vladislavyeliseyev #urbansketching #sketchbookskool #soledadeasel #pochadebox #stradaeasel #guerillapaintereasel #rollingchair #uprightpanelholder #review

What’s better than hanging out with artists all weekend and painting on a perfect gorgeous spring weekend?? Not much!! I met some wonderful people who I am sure I will be seeing again.

Atlanta Sunday For sale! 9×15″ arches 280 lb cp

Waiting for the judges! 😱

I was pretty nervous when I set up not having come one of these events before. Only two hours to finish a watercolor from start to finish. I did have a sketch I had done the day before that I thought would work.

I have no idea WHY i loved the horizon line up. Since I had bought a frame the day before at Michaels- who knew everybody framed their work!? I was stuck with the size. I think cropping improved this painting greatly. Too bad I couldn’t do it before the judging yesterday but who had time. Two hours from start to finish true. Run set up your easel with the painting to be judged. I am just glad that the judges looked at it twice. And that I finished without messing the painting up!!

my set up for the day My straw hat a definite must for these events.

One of the invited artists relaxing or was she meditating before the quick paint.

Ed Cahills painting that won the blue ribbon, $400 and the right to be an invited artist next year. Evidently this is quite a prestigious event. Who knew?!

Eds painting was directly opposite mine. I spent a lot of time looking at it and was not surprised when he won. A gorgeous oil about two feet long.

Note to self next year try not to be opposite the winner because everyone looked at his painting of course instead of mine opposite his. Lol.

Ed’s a great guy. Be sure to check out his website.

Second place was given to this lovely pencil sketch of one the magnificent oaks in the park. The park is 105 years old so there are quite a few of them. The invited painters hung out a lot under this big oak near the artist village tents.

Vladislav Yeliseyevs gorgeous watercolor that won the invited artist quick paint blue ribbon. OH NO. This is NOT Vlads painting but was done by Richard Jewell. Still a really great watercolor.

Rainy Day by Vlad

Old Trucks by Vlad think this one might have the wrong tag.

Now that Charles Reid and Judy too are retiring I think I would like to take a class from Vlad. he’s Russian and quite interesting. Based in Sarasota I think.

Another invitees paintings. Wish I had taken a pic of the name. Just gorgeous light. Always surprised me all weekend how small Most of these paintings were. My quarter sheet was a BIG painting.

Scott Gellatly the Gamblin Rep from Portlands gorgeous oil. He was very generous with his time when I asked him about what Gamblin products would be good to use with my huge basket of oils languishing in the garage because the smells give me a headache. Thanks Scott!! Scott even told me to be sure to get his card and email him if I had any questions. Most of the artists were so generous with their time answering sometimes silly questions.

Yer Za Vues flower painting. Always tickles me that they painted so many flower arrangement paintings out at a plein air event. And not flowers on the bushes. Flower arrangements on the tables!!

Suzie Bakers lovely landscape of one of the Druid Hills mansions lining both sides of Deepdene Park. Why were they painting flowers!?

Plein air is typically landscape painting done outside and whoever is in them those landscapes.

What I learned!!

• Have a plan before the contest. Forarmed makes a better painting. I did base it on this sketch and should have kept the horizon line.
• Paint on a board and buy one of the JFM frames available at the event. All of the invitees use her wholesale prices frames starting at $23.

• Shade is good. My palette was drying out in the sun. Something that I have never had happen. The paint was getting thick and very sticky adding more stress to my day. You can buy the Holbein metal palette from Randy at Cityartonline. Tell him I sent you! It’s the one Charles Reid recommends for those who don’t want to pay $500 for a handmade Craig Young palette.
• I used Brenda Swanson’s list of outdoor sketching bag tips. Hr “table” and bag were great. I added my rolling bag cart still in my garage from before wheels suitcases were so widely available.
• Food in the bag is a must. I sadly watched the Petit rendezvous creperie truck pull off with my breakfast that I never got because I was too busy.

• Get a better chair or paint standing up line I do most of the time at home. The easel worked well for a cheap easel bought from amazon but I could use and upgrade to one of the fancy boxes the invited painters all had.
• Is This is a great placed tho sell paintings?! NOT so much. The invited artists alone produced 250 or so paintings. So only if you want to sell cheap.
• Paintings are tiny or small. A 16×20 would be a HUGE painting at one of these events. And a lot were postcard sized.
• Going to try this again. The plein air event was a lot of fun. These invited people travel to one or two of these events every month. Susie Bakers Plein Air event schedule Think I will try to doSC watermedia is doing one in Newberry Sc May 15. And Ga is doing one in Athens in June 9 or 10. One day events!

Margaret off to the last class ever with Al Beyer. He’s finally retiring. Xoxoxo

#Olmstedlinearpark #atlanta #pleinair #oilpainting #painting #artists #paint #urbansketching #ink #watercolor #stillmanandbirn #lamy #druidhills

#Olmstedinvitationalpleinair #quickpaint #vladislavyeliseyev

Which in my book is time to draw and maybe paint. That’s going to happen a lot at the Olmsted Linear Parks today.

John Brian Guernsey of Marietta did a demo yesterday. I got there a little late and plopped down next to YerZa Vue though I didn’t know it was her at the time and proceeded to sketch James painting.

I knew better than to put that eye in like that. What was I thinking?! Rusty. It only takes a day off to get like that.

Like Yer Za he was very generous in his suggestions on how to do a pleine air painting.

And painted about 45 minutes.

I love he brought a dry erase board to write tips on. How organized is this guy?! I know he’s right about rule one. Not sure about rule two. Will have to think about that one.

A great painting of a rather nondescript house we would all just pass by. He painted from this picture. Obviously this house was not in very upscale mansion Kaiden Druid Hills.

Thought it was a great idea that he taped the photo write below the painting so he could see it. It’s always a problem what to do with the photograph and this is a good solution.

As a NOT organized person I always interested in how other painters set up their easels. Looks like he used a lot of tape on a regular easel. Why didn’t I think to ask him what type it was. Maybe I will see him again today. And I will ask.

Portable easels are always of interest to me. They usually spend a lot of time falling over so a good one is a topic of conversation with my painter friends.

Off I go for another day of fun on a perfect spring day in Atlanta. As Yer Za said if it’s NOT fun why are we doing it. Something I have been known to say to my classes too.

Margaret poking along on this cool Saturday morning. Xoxoxo

#Olmstedlinearpark #atlanta #pleinair #oilpainting #painting #artists #paint #urbansketching #ink #watercolor #stillmanandbirn #johnbrianguernsey #lamy #druidhills

#Olmstedinvitationalpleinair

It has a nice glow to the center. Like it still not sure.

And it pales (it’s the one in the middle) next to the other two smaller ones. Thinking about adding more of the dramatic black but first another road trip to paint pleine aire in the Olmstead Linear Parks Druid Hills in Atlanta this weekend. Should be a mob scene.

Colors used in all three: imperial purple quin burnt orange cobalt teal cobalt new gamboge lemon yellow aliZarin crimson green gold neutral tint cad red light. Oh a a dab of Naples yellow gouache.

Papers right to left richeson cp 300 lb , Fabriano 140 cp and canson art board cp.

Margaret whose getting tired of packing and unpacking. Xoxoxoxo #sketching #iainstewart #aquarelle #watercolor #stillmanandbirn #ink #lettering #dailydrawing #coloringbook #allaprima #watercolor #danielsmith #Paris #france #monmartre

Evidently a lot.

Value Sketch – Montmartre and Sacre Couer

On canton board

Number 1 on canson watercolor board. painting? Loathe the sky. Otherwise not too bad. Not sure I like the really dark buildings on the right and left and darks on the people.

Richeson sketch. Oh never try to erase with a wet eraser. Eekkk what a mess. Grey stripes on the woman.

Number 2 on richeson coldpress 300 lb. I have decided I hate this paper. It absorbs like a sponge taking forever to dry. Can’t paint a straight line on it either.

Only thing I like about it is the sky wash and the Sacre Couer.

Maybe they will grow on me.

Attempt 3 on Fabriano on the easel. Already don’t like it. 😱😢

Margaret xoxoxo whose going to do something useful like walk the dog.

#sketching #aquarelle #watercolor #stillmanandbirn #ink #lettering #dailydrawing #coloringbook #allaprima #watercolor #danielsmith #Paris #sacrecouer #monmartre

#France